Katie Holmes Wants to Be a Surfer Girl!

The Giver star tells PEOPLE she just might be adding the latter to her lengthy list of roles.

While attending pal Harvey Weinstein's cocktail party for the Association of Surfing Professionals atop the James Hotel in New York on Thursday, Holmes – who looked stunning in a white lace Nina Ricci mini – hit it off with star surfer Courtney Conlogue. So much so, she may have found herself and daughter Suri a surf instructor.

"I hope she's got a lot of time … and patience," Holmes, 35, told PEOPLE after chatting with Conlogue about setting up a lesson some time this summer. "I've never surfed before."

Despite her poise on the red carpet, Holmes says she's not so sure that translates to waves. "If anyone's going to get me to stand up, it's going to be her."

No problem, says Conlogue. "Once you actually stand up, surfing's all about enjoying the ride, and I think she'll definitely have a lot of fun … and her little daughter!"

And when it comes to the inevitable wipeout? "No, no, I'm not afraid at all," she says. "It'll be exciting."

"I've always been a risk-taker," says Holmes, who recently posed topless for Glamour and discussed her life as a single mom to Suri, 8.

Besides catching waves, she's also looking forward to cheering on her favorite NBA team. "I've been visiting my family in Ohio, and we're so happy as Ohioans that LeBron [James] is coming back! It's a really big deal for our state, and it's so cool of him."